Rosa's heart fluttered. Was this really happening? Was she going out to town with Captain Levi? He wasn't exactly the first person she would have envisioned to be helping her with the errands!

Levi's expression was as neutral as ever, but inside, he was wondering the same thing. It had been a spur of the moment decision, but now, walking across the courtyard alongside Rosa, he couldn't help but to question himself. What the hell had gotten into him? Oh well, having a small break from the paperwork was always welcomed, especially when it meant he'd get a breather of fresh air.

The walk was filled with a lingering, awkward silence. The air was heavy, the unspoken tension building as each second passed. Rosa bit her lip, her thoughts a mess. Why was she feeling so nervous? When they finally reached the town, Rosa was glad for the change of scenery— The bustling street offered a pleasant distraction, the noise and activity of the busy afternoon distracting her from the nerves that threatened to overcome her. Levi's thoughts were still preoccupied by the shopping lists; He looked over the papers again, trying to make sense of the scribbles.

"If I'm not completely mistaken… I think the first stop is the pharmacy." He said, a frown knitting his brow.

"That makes sense." Rosa nodded in agreement. "From what I know about Section Commander's experiments, she's often running low on chemistry supplies."

"Right, shitty glasses and her crazy experiments..." Levi scoffed, shaking his head. "She's been going at it non-stop."

"Oh, I wouldn't call her crazy, not at all." Rosa objected, a smile tugging at her lips.

"Oh?" Levi's brows raised, his surprise evident. "You admire her."

"Well, I wouldn't say I admire... but it's more of a respect. I'm grateful, too, if that makes sense."

"What do you mean?"

"Because of her, I was able to recover. My injuries could've been fatal, if the Section Commander hadn't been there."

Levi fell silent, and his gaze lingered on Rosa's face. The bandage over her eye and the scars on her face were a stark reminder of the cruel nature of their world; The harsh reality of the outside world, the ever-present danger lurking behind the walls, had left its mark. But even so, her green eye carried a hint of hope, and the corner of her lips had lifted into a faint smile. Her expression changed, though, when she noticed Levi studying her— She quickly turned her gaze away, focusing on scanning the cityview around them.

"So, you were injured during the expedition?" Levi inquired as they kept walking, his tone carefully neutral.

"Yes." Rosa nodded, her smile falling. "I was. And that's why I'm... not fit for combat, not anymore."

"What happened to you?"

Levi's words caught Rosa by surprise. The question was unexpected— She had tried to avoid the topic, but she could tell there was genuine curiosity behind his words. She hesitated for a short moment, steeling herself from letting her voice waver as she spoke. "An abnormal… It crushed one of my squadmates. A piece of broken blade just…" Rosa faltered, and then she gestured to her left eye. She let out a dry chuckle, but the sound held no mirth.

"I see." Levi's reply was brief, his gaze distant. "So, you've lost sight in your left eye."

"Pretty much."

Levi remained silent. Rosa's story had stirred something in him; He knew better than most what it felt like to lose one's comrades, the weight of the guilt and responsibility that came with it. He had seen his comrades, his friends, succumb to the cruelty of their world. Death and loss was nothing new to him, and the fact that it was now his job to send young cadets to their death on the front lines didn't sit well with him.

"Everything okay?"

"Hm?" Levi was startled from his thoughts. He hadn't even noticed that he had stopped walking, now standing still in the current of busy people. He turned his gaze back to Rosa, her eye flicking between him and the cobbled street.

"You look kinda tense." Rosa remarked, curious about the current change in his demeanor. "I mean, more than usually."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Levi asked, his lips curving into a faint, wry smile.

Rosa was stunned by the sudden change. Was this actually the same cold-hearted captain of the Survey Corps? The captain that everyone was so afraid of? There was depth and gentleness in him which she had never seen before, and she couldn't help but to stare at him in awe.

"What, have I stunned you speechless?" Levi teased, and Rosa couldn't help but to giggle.

"You know, Captain… you're alright." She smirked.

This time it was her demeanor that stunned Levi; She was the same woman he had met at the training grounds a few days ago. But now, there was no trace of her previous anxiety and gloomy demeanor. The smile on her face was wide, reaching up to her eyes. It was infectious, and the corners of his own lips curled upwards.

"Alright, alright, that's enough." He waved her off, and he could hear Rosa chuckle behind him. He didn't have to look to know that she was grinning from ear to ear.

The town's cobbled streets were bustling with activity, the mid-morning sun casting a warm glow on the colorful storefronts. The pharmacy was located just a few buildings down the street, and it didn't take long for the two of them to locate the place. Once they finished their business there, they headed to the next location, and then to another… The list of errands seemed endless, and collecting all the items proved out to be quite a task. Rosa was glad for Levi's company, though; Having someone else helping her made the job a lot easier. Not to mention, his presence was oddly comforting.

The afternoon rolled around, the sun hanging high above the sky, bathing the town in a warm, golden light. Their trip was nearing the end, the last errands on the list checked off.

"So, how do you like your new job this far?" Levi asked her as the duo made their way back through the city and towards the base. "Being Hange's errand girl." He added somewhat teasingly.

"Ah, well… I guess it's alright." Rosa shrugged. Sensing she'd have something more to say about the matter, Levi gave her an asking look. "It's just that, you see, I... I'm not really used to this kind of work." She explained, gesturing at the shopping lists. "Not yet, at least. I mean, I'm grateful, but it's just..." Her words trailed off, and she let out a dejected sigh.

"You miss being in the field." Levi stated, and he saw Rosa nod her head. "If that's what you truly want… you still have a chance, you know."

"What? I do?" Rosa stopped at her tracks upon hearing Levi's words.

"I watched you at the training grounds— And, well, you're not hopeless." Levi said deliberately, coming to halt as well. "Don't get me wrong, you won't be joining an expedition any time soon… but, if you keep working at it, who knows, you might get your chance again."

Rosa blinked, taken aback by the captain's words. He had caught her completely off-guard; The last thing she had expected from Levi was encouragement in this matter. His words had a hint of gentleness, and it warmed her heart.

"I... thank you." Rosa murmured, averting her gaze.

"And when I said 'keep working at it', I didn't mean 'train until you pass out'. Got it?"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it." Rosa mumbled under her breath, her cheeks red in embarrassment. Levi clearly hadn't forgotten about her fury-hazed, desperation filled training session a few weeks back..! "I'll just try to focus on my new job, doing a little training on the side… Better let my wounds fully heal before I start training for reals."

"A wise decision." Levi nodded in agreement as they continued walking.

"Besides, to be completely honest, the injury had a bigger effect on my personal life than on my career."

"How so?"

"Hm?" Rosa was genuinely a bit surprised that Levi inquired about the matter any further. She was just having some idle small talk, and stoic and silent type as he was, she hadn't expected Levi to be interested about her personal matters. "I… uhm… it's a little embarrassing. I doubt that you-"

Rest of the words got stuck in her throat when she spotted someone in the crowd of the marketplace. Her breath hitched in her throat when her eye locked in with the tall, brown haired man, and she quickly averted her gaze from him.

"Is everything alright?" Levi's voice was low, his tone calm and collected. He had noticed her sudden shift in demeanor, and he could see how she was staring intently at someone across the street.

"It's nothing." Rosa tried to play it cool, her expression neutral and her eye looking anywhere else but where the other person was standing. She tried to force a slight smile on her face as she turned to look at Levi again. "Let's go— I've wasted enough of your time already."

Her steps were faster, her strides longer as she moved down the street, eager to get away from the crowd. Levi followed after her, his curiosity piqued. He had noticed the shift in her mood, the subtle change in her posture and behavior; Her shoulders were tensed up, her gaze distant. Even her tone had changed, taking on a colder edge. Who had been the person that had made Rosa so visibly distraught? He couldn't help but to glance at the man once more— He was still peering to the direction where Rosa had headed off to, but showed no intention of following her. Levi narrowed his eyes, his gaze flicking back to the woman beside him.

"Are you sure you're alright?" He pressed, and she gave him a faint nod.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Is this about that man back there?"

"N-no." Rosa stuttered, but she could see the frown on his face deepen. He had caught her lie.

"Listen, if there's something-"

"IT'S NOTHING!" Rosa stopped at her tracks, whirling around to face Levi. She realized a bit too late the volume of her voice; a few passersby were staring, their attention drawn by the commotion. Her gaze lowered, her hands balling into tight fists. Her nails dug into the skin of her palm, but the pain didn't faze her.

Levi could do nothing but stare at her in disbelief, shocked by her sudden outburst. Then, he saw her lip quivering; Her whole body was trembling, her shoulders slumped forward.

"I'm sorry, Captain. I- I didn't mean to…" Rosa muttered, her voice wavering. Her gaze was filling with tears, when suddenly, her body jolted in pain:

"F-fucking- hell-!"